The Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship

Award Amount
Application deadline
Awarded By:

The Louisville Institute

Number of Awards & Eligibility: Ten grants offered.
In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
  1. This award is for international and U.S. students.
  2. Must be enrolled in an accredited graduate school in the United States or Canada.
  3. Must be a candidate for a Ph.D. or Th.D. degree. Applicants must be on track to fulfill all pre-dissertation requirements, including approval of the dissertation proposal, by Feb. 1 of the award year and should expect to complete the dissertation by the end of the following academic year. Fellowships are intended to support the final year of dissertation writing.
  4. Must demonstrate a commitment to the Christian church and theological education.
  5. Must demonstrate how his/her doctoral work has prepared him/her appropriately for a career in theological school teaching.
  6. Must be engaged in a dissertation project with the potential to strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions, including seminaries, while simultaneously advancing American religious and theological scholarship. Proposed projects may employ a variety of methodological perspectives, including, but not limited to, history, ethics, the social sciences, biblical studies, and historical, systematic, and practical theology. They may also be interdisciplinary in nature.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Description: This fellowship program is open to Ph.D. and Th.D. students in the United States or Canada who are in their final year of dissertation writing. The program is designed to support students engaged in research pertaining to North American Christianity, especially projects with the potential to strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions, including seminaries, while simultaneously advancing American religious and theological scholarship.

Application requirements for the The Louisville Institute Dissertation Fellowship are:

  • Recommendation letter
  • Application form
  • Official Transcript
  • CV/Resume
  • Dissertation prospectus
  • Bibliography
Additional Information: DF applicants must be candidates for the Ph.D. or Th.D. degree in an accredited graduate school in the United States or Canada. Applicants must be on track to fulfill all pre-dissertation requirements, including approval of the dissertation proposal, by February 1 of the award year and should expect to complete the dissertation by the end of the following academic year. These fellowships are intended to support the final year of dissertation writing. Proposed projects may employ a variety of methodological perspectives, including, but not limited to, history, ethics, the social sciences, biblical studies, and historical, systematic, and practical theology. They may also be interdisciplinary in nature. In all its grantmaking, including the Dissertation Fellowship program, LI is interested in funding projects with the potential to strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions while simultaneously advancing American religious and theological scholarship. The Louisville Institute also has an interest in strengthening the quality of theological school teaching. Applicants may not submit applications to more than one Louisville Institute grant or fellowship program within the same grant year (June 1-May 31). Doctoral Fellows are encouraged to apply for the Dissertation Fellowship program. It is also open to outstanding students who may not intend to teach in theological education, but whose dissertation projects have the potential to strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions.

Award Amount: Dissertation Fellowships will provide a stipend of $25,000 for 12 months beginning in September. Fellowships are not renewable. All tuition, medical insurance, and required fees are the responsibility of the student.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $250,000.

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Applications are available online on The Louisville Institute website. Please note: Applicants should gather all requested information/documents and upload all documents in one session. A "Preparation Guide" document is available online to assist the applicant in preparing his/her materials. In addition to the online application, the applicant must submit the following materials: a copy of his/her current curriculum vitae or resume (no more than four pages); a dissertation prospectus of no more than five to seven pages (double-spaced and typed in 12-point font) in which he/she clearly articulates the thesis of the dissertation, summarizes its argument, and discusses its contribution to the study of religion in America and to the vitality of American religious life; a selective bibliography of two to three pages (double-spaced); one official copy of each of his/her graduate and professional school transcripts (must be sent as hard copies directly to The Louisville Institute); and two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from his/her dissertation advisor and the other of which must be able to speak to his/her personal qualities and commitments, spiritual formation, service to the church, and scholarly promise. The applicant must provide the recommenders' email addresses on the application, and The Louisville Institute will send instructions to the recommenders for submission of their letters. It is preferred that all application documents be uploaded in .pdf format. The student is encouraged to email The Louisville Institute if he/she encounters any problems with the online submission. Applications and transcripts must be received by Feb. 1.
About The Louisville Institute:
Contact Information: Pamala Collins, -
Address: 1044 Alta Vista Road Louisville, Kentucky 40205-1798

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